If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy?

BATTLE PLANS

I had a good day. How 'bout you?
I prayed often throughout the day for Pathway and a location of his choosing. I have no idea where it will be but I do strongly believe that the perspectives and priorities that led us to start Pathway Bible Church are consistent with God's. Given that, it's a case of doing our homework and praying for his wisdom and direction. There's no reason to expect that this will be an easy road. Rather, difficulties and setbacks are to be expected. James tells us that struggles serve to make us stronger. They also test our mettle as his disciples. So we should be prepared to do the work of the ministry - all of us. Hey, we started this with a view to what he could do through Pathway ten, fifteen years down the line. So spending a few months getting it rolling is really no big deal.

I worked at the Pyramids again this morning. I picked up and installed some boulders to protect the landscape lighting I put in before my trip to Michigan. I also fixed a couple of lights that weren't working properly. How many preachers does it take to change a light bulb?

The better part of the afternoon was spent working on church stuff. I got most of the bulletin done and picked the songs we'll sing. Did some studying for our adult class that follows the worship service, Foundations, and then put together a special handout.
Last Sunday we set up a schedule for readings in the Gospel of Mark, leading up to the events of what we call Palm Sunday. This handout gives a synopsis Christ's actions on each of the days of next week, beginning with Palm Sunday and going up through the crucifixion on Friday, and then gives some verses to read for each day's events.
Our preparations for Christmas last weeks, despite the fact that a mere handful of verses describe Christ's birth. We allow Easter to come with virtually no preparations at all when, for example, 40% of Mark's gospel is devoted to the last week of Christ's life before the resurrection. Going through this handout and doing the daily reading should help address that problem.

I did take a break this afternoon. Played the back (easy) nine holes of the executive course nearest our house. Par is 30. I shot more than that. But it was fun and the learning curve is still headed upward. It's coming back. Besides, spending 90 minutes playing golf out in the 87-degree sunshine is too good to pass up.

You gotta check this out:
A Hike to a Tea House
The narration is all in Japanese I think, so go ahead and hit mute. But this hike to a Tea House in China may be a bit more work than any cup of tea warrants.
Watch to the end! It gets hairier.
And then ask yourself, you carries the tea and crumpets up there each day?

I heard a very short snippet of a program on NPR today, an interview with some guy who is an author...I think. He said that we have too much craftsmanship without artisanship. That is, we have writers, photographers, sculptors, painters, who have learned their craft and are skilled at what they do, but they lack the artist's feeling, sensitivities. He went on to say that if it's possible to have craftsmanship without artisanship, it is also possible to have artisanship without craftsmanship.
Whoa! That's heresy in today's world. It amounts to saying there is such a thing as bad art, and that's anathema to the elite of our society. "It's all art because it expresses the inner self." No matter that it has no form, no structure, no subtlety. If it bears the name art it is art, and any argument to the contrary betrays a lack of sophistication.
Have you ever read, "All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes"? A very good critique of art from a Christian perspective, including a comparison of folk, fine and pop art. Thought provoking book.

More in my head, but it's getting too near bedtime.